


The Grass is Always Greener

by teakettlesandapplegrass



Category: Orange is the New Black
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2014-11-05
Packaged: 2018-02-24 05:11:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2569373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teakettlesandapplegrass/pseuds/teakettlesandapplegrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Piper has visitation day and ends up in an interesting discussion about sexuality with her mother.<br/>Piper One-Shot<br/>does not deviate from canon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Grass is Always Greener

**Author's Note:**

> So basically this started as a rant and personal monologue about Piper's sexuality and Bi-Erasure in pop culture and even in forward focusing shows like Orange is the New Black. So Basically this is a scene that already should've happened, and even more so NEEDS to happen on Orange is the New Black, because bisexuality is a real thing and it should be recognized. NOT JUST ERASED OR LABELED AS WHATEVER IS CONVENIENTLY ACCURATE AT THE TIME!

It’s visiting day, and despite having no one Piper really wants to visit with, she hears her name called anyway. Maybe, just maybe its Cal and Neri- or at least Cal. Piper wouldn’t mind seeing him. He may be the one member in the entire Chapman family who actually sees Piper for someone other than “Perfect Piper” on the Christmas cards and Smith Graduate, world travelled, debutante, who soon will be back to normal. 

Piper finishes the strip test, and walks towards the visiting room, dismayed to discover that it is her mom waiting at a table for her. As per usual, Carol is sitting in her prim and proper state carefully trying to rid the stench of lower social status surrounding her by wiping meticulously at the sticky surfaced table. Piper sighs, knowing there is no point in not visiting her mother now. She walks through the doors and immediately sits down across from Carol.

“Hi mom.” 

“Oh Piper, you could have a little more enthusiasm than that. For heaven’s sake. Do they ever let you sleep in this place, you look positively flushed.”

“It’s not exactly a weekend retreat, mom. But I’m sleep just fine.”

“You’re not getting too comfortable I hope? It can be very dangerous, what with suspicious inmates and their histories. I don’t want you getting hurt because you were too trusting around some of the more violent women.” As Carol continues to annunciate her point exaggerating keys words like violent and suspicious, Piper feels her patience begin to wear quickly.

“Mom, calm down. And stop over reacting. I’m the one living in here, not you. I think I have a much better idea what the inmates are like and if I need to sleep with one eye open.”

“Well, you can never be too careful. You know, honestly they should have some way of keeping the more dangerous ones separate. It’s in the best interest of everyone.”

“They do mom. That’s why they have the SHU and a Max facility.”

“Yes, but Piper-“

“Can we please change the topic? I’m tired of listening to your blatant desire to segregate me from everyone else like I’m above them. I’m a prisoner too mom, I committed a crime just lie all the other women in here.”

“Fine, well. I at least think they should have some system for separating the lesbians.” Carol whispers at the last word, as if the sexuality of some of the women locked up is taboo.

“Mom, what the hell? Are you going to insist on being prejudiced to every person in here? And need I remind you that it was because of another woman who I was sexually involved with that got me locked in here in the first place!” Piper was trying desperately not to shout at her mother, for fear of calling attention to their inappropriate conversation.

“Oh Piper, I’m not singling you out in this. Besides who you may have been in the past does not define you now.”

“What are you even saying? Of course it still defines me now. And I wasn’t a lesbian in the past. And I’m not a lesbian right now. Nor am I straight.”

“Piper, stop being ridiculous this moment. Of course you are straight. You were engaged to Larry.”

“Yes, I was in love with a man. But I was also in love with a woman- her name was Alex. That does not make me any more straight, than it makes me a lesbian.”

“Piper what on earth are you saying?”

“Bisexual mom. I need you to get this through your head. Attraction falls along a spectrum- how attracted you are to men or women, or both. The word you are looking for to describe me, is bi-sex-ual.” Piper says the word extra slow the last time to emphasize its meaning. “Do you understand? That means I am attracted to both sexes and that I have and still can fall in love with either a man or a woman. Whomever I so please.”

“Well…” Carol is speechless. She is staring at Piper with large eyes, the same expression she might have upon first noticing what new color the neighbors painted their house. She can’t even react, so she just sits a sputters at Piper’s frustration.

“Are we done here? Because they’re showing 50 First Dates tonight for the movie and I need to go buy a new pair of headphones before they sell out.” Piper starts to scooch her chair out from the small visiting table. “I’m glad you came to visit mom. I think we had a really great talk. And next time? Don’t hesitate to bring Cal and Neri along. And hey, maybe if daddy ever gets over his melodramatic show about refusing to visit me in prison you could bring him too. We could all talk about your crude racism, undermining of social classes, and homophobia. It’ll be great, a real family get together.” Piper says the sarcasm growing in each of her words, until she’s practically spitting them down at her mother. Carol hastily stands to try and defend herself against the attack, but Piper storms off leaving her no chance to even say goodbye.

\---

As Piper walks back out of the visiting area and towards commissary she runs into Nicky.

“Hey Blondie, what’s got your panties in a bunch?”

“Oh the usual. The innate denseness that surrounds my mother’s life and clouds her eyes from anything as uncivilized as actual reality.”

“Ouch. What’d she said this time to piss you off?”

“Mostly just expressed her ever persistent idea that I should be segregated from every person in here that wasn’t raised as a debutante elitist she expected me to become. Oh and we had a great chat about the diversities of sexuality in which I added the word bisexual to her lexicon today. Or at least tried to add it.” Piper huffs slightly as she feels the weight of her frustration ease by talking to Nicky.

“Ha, I bet your mom loved that. And you know, I was a debutante. I also fucked two of the other debutantes that same night. Maybe you should introduce me to your mom. Reassure her that you really are living up to the successes of other debutantes like myself.” Nicky gloats, putting on her classic smirk.

“Oh, god. I think meeting you just might give my mom an actual heart attack.” Piper laughs, “On second thought, why don’t you come join next week.” Nicky laughs back at Piper.

“Not if you’re planning to use me as second degree murder on your mother. Come on, even you gotta admit that’s pretty fucked.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll just have to find another way to endure her horrible and prejudiced words on visitation days.”

“The grass is always greener Chapman.”

“Thanks Nicky.” Piper says, finally feeling relieved after the stressful visit with her mother. Nicky was right, no matter how bad Carol Chapman could be, she was still family. Prejudices and all, and at the end of the day, Piper was pretty lucky to have someone visiting her from the outside world every week.


End file.
